Augmented Reality (AR) includes techniques for showing virtual objects superimposed over an image of a real place. In a simple example, the image is a view of a street that includes a restaurant and this reality is augmented by adding the name of the restaurant superimposed over the image of the restaurant. This has been expanded to include menus, reviews, friends that are inside, and other information. The image may be a video sequence of images. Smartphone applications have been proposed or developed which allow the user to point a camera phone at a location and see the location on the smartphone display. The application then obtains data about the location, such as restaurant names, etc. and then augments the reality shown in the smartphone display with the names, menus, reviews, etc.
AR techniques have also been used to mix real world video with three-dimensional graphics. In one example AR is used to superimpose virtual people or animals over a video feed of a real scene. In some cases, the real scene is observed by a camera and a person standing in the scene can then make gestures that are observed by the camera and used to provide interactivity between the real person and the virtual person or animal. This interaction between the real person and the virtual person cannot be seen directly by the real person, but through a display that shows the augmented reality view. This view includes the real scene, the real person, and the virtual person.
A further AR development has real objects in the scene being enhanced or converted to virtual objects that interact with other virtual objects or people. So for example, a real candy can turn into virtual explosives and a real picture of a television can virtually display television channels. These types of AR techniques provide entertainment and novelty. With improvement, AR techniques may be used for game play, training, and teaching.